Bodland People’s Front leads the Council

GUWAHATI: The Bodoland People’s Front will lead the new BTC. Emerging as a single largest party but short of a majority in the 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) by just one seat, the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) said it would stake claim to the council with the support of Independents.

The BPF won 20 seats at the end of the counting of ballots late night on Saturday. The People’s Coordination for Democratic Rights (PCDR), a conglomerate of several Bodo organizations including the pro-talks National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive), won seven seats while the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won four, BJP one and others eight.

The BPF is led by its charismatic militant leader-turned politician Hagrama Mohilary, who said, “We are forming the council again with support from Independents. We have great challenges and my primary objective would be to address the grievances of all communities in BTC.”

The BPF, which was formed by former Bodo Liberation Tiger militants at the culmination of a peace process in 2003, has been in power in the council since its inception. In the last council, the party had an overwhelming majority with as many as 33 seats.

The polls were held on April 8 in the four Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. A record 78.11 per cent electorate exercised their franchise in the polls, which was one of the most peaceful ever.